Lost 26lbs, started walking and gained weight

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mooren1k1
mooren1k1 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a 31 year old mother of 2 wonderful kids and I am trying to loose weight to make myself feel better and more active. I started cutting carbs since I found out I am pre-diabetic and 3 weeks ago I started walking. Since starting to walk 25 mins a day, 5 times a week I have been gaining weight. Still eating the same portions and the same foods, cooked the same way. Just getting a little depressed on not seeing the pounds drop off anymore. Any ideas on how to jumpstart the pounds falling off again??

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  • lefrance12
    lefrance12 Posts: 131
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    You are gaining muscle from the walking. Are you eating your exercise calories? You made need to consume more calories since your are now walking. Additionally, you might want to change your foods up a bit. Good Luck!!!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    How much have you gained? If it's just a couple of pounds you might be gaining muscle. Or you could be retaining water, try drinking a couple more glasses of water a day. Most likely your body hasn't adjusted to your new physical activity. Since you aren't eating more your body is holding onto the food you do eat. It should stop soon and you should start burning those calories instead of storing them.
  • Loseittoo
    Loseittoo Posts: 74 Member
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    I am a 31 year old mother of 2 wonderful kids and I am trying to loose weight to make myself feel better and more active. I started cutting carbs since I found out I am pre-diabetic and 3 weeks ago I started walking. Since starting to walk 25 mins a day, 5 times a week I have been gaining weight. Still eating the same portions and the same foods, cooked the same way. Just getting a little depressed on not seeing the pounds drop off anymore. Any ideas on how to jumpstart the pounds falling off again??

    Are you tracking your calories? If you made your diary public we could help more.
  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
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    I have found that personally, I will gain some water weight when I drastically change the intensity of my workout. It will inevitably drop off after things settle down. My advice, if you choose to take it, is keep up the walking, eat sensibly and drink water. Drink lots of water.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    It is VERY common to gain a little when you start exercising. It is most likely water retention and a light case of DOMS. When you gain muscle, you retain water around the muscle to aid in muscle repair needed when the muscles are torn in exercise (this ALWAYS happens cause that's how muscles grow). So the weight is a combination of new lean mass and water retention.

    This does not last long. Some people experience this for a couple of days, other a couple of weeks...BUT...it does not mean that you are getting bigger. Even if the scale goes up, your inches are most likely going down since you are losing body fat. The scale measures lean mass, body fat, and water all at once. Inches measure body fat lost more accurately because it is not relying on gravity and does not take in to account the weight of water and more lean mass which is essential for healthy bodies.

    Just keep at it and the scale will go down again. Cause you are doing the right thing and still losing fat.
  • CombatVet_Armywife
    CombatVet_Armywife Posts: 300 Member
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    I agree with Lyadeia! I've been told that, while muscle does not weigh more than fat, it can still account for weight gain since changing your workout will affect muscles and they will retain water for repair. I would take Lyadeia's advice and try keeping track with measurements over the scale. Good luck to you! :)
  • GDrazenovich
    GDrazenovich Posts: 7
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    As others have mentioned, it could be water retention. Watch sodium levels.

    If you expend less calories than you burn, you will definitely lose weight so I would not get too discouraged. Just keep using the log ins and check your levels particularly sodium. If you are having a lot of sodium in diet, then that might be what is retaining water. Make sure you are getting adequate pottasium.

    A fluctuation in weight is very normal throughout the day (sometime +5 lbs). Aim for weight over time and do not get too discouraged. Just keep moving and eating right!!!
  • mooren1k1
    mooren1k1 Posts: 2
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    Thanks for the encouragement and the info. I only weigh once a week and this week I finally saw a drop. I was getting worried there for a bit. The explanation you gave was very helpful so I have started cutting sodium too. Still working on getting all of those glasses of water in a day though. I will get there though. Thanks again
  • clsmith1733
    clsmith1733 Posts: 25 Member
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    salt and vinger chips dont help salt
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    Exercise can cause you to hold water in your muscles. Take a day off walking and drink lots of water. Then try your weigh in again.
  • alys2230
    alys2230 Posts: 1
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    I am having the same trouble. Do I really have to eat my exercise calories as I am eating plenty and I'm not hungry? I have been calorie counting, drinking water and have found a love of exercise (didn't think it was possible) but feel really good when I walk now. Some days I do 2 walks 6 in the morning and 4 - 6 in the evening with hubby. I feel the best I have felt in years. We (hubby and I) also gave up smoking last July 2103 so we are now wanting to lose extra weight we have gained.
    I only lost 100g last week and so far have gained 300g this week.
    What could be causing this?
    Can anyone help?

    Roz

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